Crucial choice: whose side will the High Council of Justice take — the Supreme Court or judicial reform?

Tomorrow, on October 10th, the High Council of Justice (HCJ) faces a pivotal test, one that could significantly impact the course of judicial reform. On the agenda is the review of judges Otrosh Jr., Zorik, and Hurenko, all of whom are on the list of 180 judges of low integrity. The Supreme Court has been pushing to keep these judges in their positions, as indicated by its recent ruling in the case of judge Usatyi.

NGOs have repeatedly urged both the HCJ and the High Qualification Commission of Judges (HQCJ) not to support the new stance of the Supreme Court. This stance contradicts both the law and the goal of judicial reform, which is to cleanse the judiciary of judges of low integrity. The HQCJ has already started scheduling hearings for judges from the “list of 180”, signalling their alignment with this mission and fulfilling the purpose for which they were reformed. Now, it’s the HCJ’s turn to act.

DEJURE Foundation once again calls on the HCJ members to join the HQCJ in upholding the principles of judicial reform. The decisions regarding Judges Otrosh Jr., Hurenko, and Zorik will define the Council’s stance. It is crucial that the HCJ stands united on the issue of these 180 judges and does not deepen the crisis in the judiciary caused by the Supreme Court’s controversial rulings.

Among the 180 judges of low integrity are those recently caught taking bribes, such as Volodymyr Serdynskyi and Serhii Burkhan. The list also includes judges from the notoriously corrupt District Administrative Court of Kyiv (DACK), such as Kostiantyn Kobylianskyi and Dmytro Kostenko, as well as others with assets that far exceed their legal incomes. Some of these judges aided the government in suppressing protests during the Revolution of Dignity, gained their positions through family connections, or frequently dismissed charges against drunk drivers.